Contest Season!

International Speech and Table Topics ContestsSouthern Division Contest Schedule:
3/14/2015 Sat 9:00am Area S6 Contest, Pueblo West Library
3/15/2015 Sun 2:15pm Area S3+S4 Contest, PPLD East Library
3/29/2015 Sun 1:00pm Area S1+S5 Contest, PPLD East Library
4/04/2015 Sat 4:00pm Area S2 Contest, PPLD East Library
4/11/2015 Sat 8:00am Southern Division Contest, Penrose Library, Carnegie Room

Why Should You Consider Being a Contestant
Taking part in a Toastmasters Contest is an amazing way to try yourself beyond the normal club environment. We all joined Toastmasters to get better at speaking in front of groups - taking part of a contest is an amazing way to take that next step! It is still Toastmasters, but it is a larger group with more people you don't know. Yet, being in the Toastmasters realm, it makes it a more safer and  comfortable place. Being a contestant will help you learn and grow in Toastmasters at a much faster rate!

Taking part of a contest as a Contestant
You fill out some simple forms. You check in, and then they give you a briefing. You pick or assigned a random order from all the other contestants, within your area.
You will be given a chance to speak, in order - see the details for specific contest at the end.
After all the contestants have gone. you will be brought up as a group, handed a participation certificate, and the Toastmaster will do a short interview with you: usually asking about your club, how long you have been in Toastmasters, and usually asking a question based on your bio sheet.
You will then sit back down.
At the end of the contest, winners will be announced. Depending on the number of contestants, they will announce 3rd place (if 5 or more contestants), or 2nd place (2-4 contestants), with a trophy for 1st place. They will take pictures.
The winner of Area will continue to Division level. If first place can not make it, or does not show up, second place can step in, and so on.
The winner of Division will continue to District level, where the will be one best Table Topic contestant for the year.

Table Topics Contest
When the contest starts, you will be escorted out of the room with all the other contestants (unless you are first). One at a time, you will be brought to the speaking area, and given the same question. You will not have heard the question before. You can only hear how others answer the question who go after you. You must make 1 minute, to green. If you go more than 30 seconds over red - at 2:30, you will be disqualified. However, they do not announce who goes over time, just if any contestants had gone over time.
Best answers are usually creative, personal, well performed, and are presented in an organized fashion.
Each level of Table Topics will have a different question.

International Speech Contest
The international speech contest is an original 5-7 minute speech. It can be on any topic, and must be 75% or more original content. Any content included from outside sources, must be referenced (for example, including the group or singer for a song title or quote, etc.).
To take part in the International Speech Contest, you must have completed at least 6 speeches in your Competent Communicator manual. If you not yet there, it is easier than you think to get to that level while practicing your contest speech at our club, if you get started early enough.
Many speeches in the International Speech Contest are of the Inspirational or Motivational variety, but can be of any general type.
You must speak for 4:30 minutes to qualify, and must not go over 7:30 minutes. Realize that audience reactions may differ from practice and club, and this may take more time.
The reason that the contest is named 'International', is that the contest continues past the District. One winner from each District will go on to the Toastmasters Yearly International Conference, and compete in a Semi-Final round. Usually 9 winners will continue to the final round, and must present a different speech. The winner of the final round is named the World Champion of Public Speaking of the year. Participants who get to these levels are usually in higher demand for public speaking engagements.
It is valuable to start preparing your speech ahead of time, to get the most time to hone your presentation. You can get extra chances to practice in the club.
Remember, each time you do your speech, you can be evaluated in your Competent Communicator manual. We can also do panel evaluations to give you additional feedback.

Volunteers Needed
The contests need lots of volunteers! It usually takes at least 15 volunteers to make a contest happen, even if it is just for one contestant. There are 5 sets contests going on in the Division. Please consider volunteering to help. Contestants may not be judges in out contests, but may still help with other roles!
Roles include: Contest Chair, Toastmaster, Chief Judge, Sargent at Arms, Ballot Counters, Timers, Voting Judges
Voting Judges need to have completed 6 or more speeches in their Competent Communicator manual, and are asked to have done judges training. You can do this online on Toastmasters International

Speaking by the Peak - How you can help

Here is a great chance to work on your speaking skills and show off what you are doing while helping the Southern Division and Chris with his HPL project!



Me and my map show up on the video too!

Stomp The Prompt - August Style!

Want to have a fun night, listening to short, funny stories?
Want to learn about speechwriting?
Want to take a chance answering a question in front of a friendly group?
Want to learn more about leadership skill and how you really can handle public speaking?
Want to hang out with the best group of people in the area?

COME JOIN US FOR STOMP THE PROMPT - Saturday 9/16!

Stomp The Prompt!

The local Toastmasters club are hosting a monthly public speech event where participants will have the chance to attend a workshop and practice impromptu speaking in a public setting.
Everyone is welcome, so come to participate or just watch.

Doors Open at 6:00pm
Workshop from 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Signup at 7:00pm
Impromptu Speech Open Mic from 7:15pm to 9:00pm

When:  August 16, 2014

6pm - Workshop with Pamela Hertzog

7pm - Impromptu Speech event

 Where: Cottonwood Center for the Arts 427 E. Colorado Avenue, Colorado Springs  CO 80903 www.cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com

August’s Workshop: Writing a Speech of Mythic Proportions – Using screenwriting tools to energize your storytelling

Why do some stories captivate our attention, holding us riveted, while others are merely ordinary? The secret is a storytelling method passed down through the centuries. By learning a few tips from screenwriting teachers Robert McKee and John Truby, you’ll make your speech more compelling and memorable.

Check website for more info on upcoming workshops and Toastmaster Club Meetings you can visit and Join!

www.meetup.com/tmd26s/

Keith Horowitz, DTM

After 3.5 years in Toastmaster, I have achieved the highest level education award today: DTM, Distinguished Toastmaster.

Not the fastest time to DTM, but pretty fast. Some of it was luck. Some of it was great support. A lot of work. However, it is hard to call it work: it was amazing, exciting time. I learned more and did more than I could have imagined. I also learned that I have to be wary of my own limits.

In spite of achieving my DTM, my journey in Toastmasters is hardly over. I will continue, grow and share. I did most of the work in the last 18 months. In fact, I had even done some extra work on additional repeat awards. I had done more than a DTM or work in the last little over 12 months.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me and accompanied me and continues on with me on this exciting journey!

The Value of Toastmasters Contests

In a couple of weeks, Toastmasters International will be holding their yearly International Convention. One of the key highlights of the convention is the International Speech Contest - where winners from each District compete for the title of World Champion of Public Speaking.

Judges will chose one person who started the contest at their club level, along with thousands of other contestants who started the contest at their club, mostly in the last 6 months.

However, many Districts are already warming up for the next cycle of contests. My home organization, District 26, holds contests twice a year. In the fall, we have 2 contests that go up to District Level - usually Humorous and Evaluation contest, though every now-and-then they will switch out Humorous for Tall Tales. In the Spring, they hold Table Topics with International Speech Contest. The Table Topic goes up to District level. International, as I mentioned before, goes on to the International Convention.

I was one of those people who was not in a rush to compete in a contest. Yet, I knew I wanted to do more with Toastmasters beyond my club. At first, I helped as a functionary. As VP Education for my club, I decided if I was going to ask my members to take part in the contests, I needed to show them I was willing to step up to be in the contest as well. I was surprised to be selected over another person to represent our club in the Evaluation Contest. I wound up representing at Area and Division.

I was very nervous about being in a contest. But I found it was so much more valuable that I could have imagined! I learned a lot about myself and the Toastmasters process. I learned how much more I still needed to learn in Toastmasters and it gave me a much better focus about what I could gain and give in my club.

I was a very different person between the Area Contest and the Division Contest. By the time I went to the Division level, I found I had a giant boost in my confidence. I still felt the nerves, but I felt much more in control of them, and they didn't distract me or stay with me like they did at Area.

6 months later, I pushed myself to take on the International Speech Contest. Yes, in spite of the greater confidence, I still wasn't sure about being in front of a group of strangers, competing. But I knew with my idea of wanting to help serve in the District, I had a limited window. Again I went on to Area and Division. At Division, I stopped - I had gone over on time. But the strength I gained from the process was amazing and invaluable.

From there, I felt the confidence to take on a higher role in the District: instead of going for Area Governor, I went for Division Governor, and was voted in.

Before the contests, I was one of the people who rarely added much in the officer breakout sessions, and avoided being the person to speak in from of the TLI group. I usually needed 6 weeks between speeches to be able to recharge and work up speeches.

About 9 months after taking part in my first contest, my gauge of personality had swung from being solidly in introversion to being solidly in extroversion. Yes, I still need to recharge now and then, but it is rare. Now, not only am I comfortable speaking up in groups, I look forwards to my next speech, and feel lost if I don't get to do a speech for more than a couple of weeks. Instead of being a person who avoids speaking in front of the group for a TLI, I am a person who wants to speak in front of the group. I am comfortable leading officer break-out sessions and come up with my own educational sessions.

I realized today where my strongest skills lie. People look up to me as a leader. I have done very well as a leader. But I still have some more stills to work on for being a great people leader. My skills are much more about educating and inspiring people. I get the most emotional reward from those aspects.

To my surprise and amazement, I have become a very strong speaker. Anyone who knew me even 10 years ago would have no idea that it was even possible. I took a number of baby steps, at first on my own, then as being a leader in an outdoor hobby, then with Toastmasters. However, the giant steps came when I took part of the Toastmasters contest. They can help cause the biggest growth in the Toastmasters process.

I know it is hard, and scary and emotional. Those are all okay, because the personal value gained by trying yourself with the contest process. Don't wait until you are ready. Do it now to get your value and perspective!

Future Synergy Ideas - Breaking Records

Speech Marathons - 26 speeches in a row, broken only by a table topic or an evaluation. This might be a great way to get people to stop by and ask questions in a public space - and a great way to get a little media attention.
I'm game to try doing this - I have the documentation from at least 30 of my speeches, and would be comfortable repeating each one with just a short review.

Break a listed record:

357 Speeches in 80 hours

Greatest range of ages at a TM meeting; Most Toasts in 5 minutes; Most Table Topics answer at the same time (20)

Guinness world record for public speaking: 21 speeches in 24 hours

June 2014 Happenings Southern Divsion D26

Please note correction to typo for Sunday East Library Meeting: Date is 6/29


Advanced Club ~ S-Peak Leaders
Thur 6/12 6:30pm-8:30pm
Rockrimmon Library 832 Village Center Drive
Contact us now to get in on Charter discount!
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Sun 6/29 3:15pm-4:45pm
East Library
832 Village Center Drive
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Thur 7/10 6:30pm-8:30pm
Rockrimmon Library
832 Village Center Drive

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Stomp the Prompt & Career Workshop
Sat 6/21 7:00pm
Cottonwood Center For the Arts
427 E Colorado Ave
Show your Table Topic Skills!


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Sky Sox ~ Toastmasters
$2 Tue 7/1 7:00pm
Security Service Field
4385 Tutt Blvd
RSVP early or purchase your own tickets
$2 Tuesdays sell out quick!

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Remember to select the future radio button when submitting next term’s officers!
You should be adding to a blank slate, not replacing names!

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Revitalized Education Program Update:
Roll-out expected no earlier than next July.
Beta testing may begin as early as May or June.
Existing members are expected to have 24 months to select when to convert to new system.
Some educational videos are expected to be chosen from member sources.